Strategy ? for how to play this type of player
 

A new player joined our game (home tourney, small buy-ins, aggressive blind structure) and he's pretty good. Don't know if this is relevant, but he's only 16.

He's having success against all of us. Watching him, I've noticed some habits that I think I could exploit. First, he picks out certain players (usually the women) and raises their blind almost as if it's a position move. Secondly, he likes to limp raise preflop. Finally, if he bets and is raised, he will reraise the size of the bet. But whenever he is raised back in any of these situations, he will let the hand go. The exceptions are when he has a premium hand, or if it goes to the flop, if the flop improved him.

I'm relatively tight, and the times when I've been in a pot with this player I haven't had good cards. I'm a woman, so he routinely raises my blinds. About 1/4 to 1/3rd of the time I'll either (1) call and bet out on the flop or (2) raise back preflop, which has curbed his opportunism somewhat.

Given that he seems a little predictable in his aggression, should I play back at him more? Should I play back at him every opportunity, figuring that the times I take the pot will make up for the times he actually has a hand?

Let's say we're talking about early on in the tournament, when the blinds are not so great.

Thanks

Re: Strategy ? for how to play this type of player
 

Defend your blinds by restealing. You need to send him a message that you are on to his loose aggressive style and will play back. You admit your tight and he knows it.

Change gears so he can't put you on a hand. Resteals, folds, and the occassional stop and go will keep him confused. He's only 16 and probably is use to weak competition on the play money tables.

Steal his blinds whenever presented the oppourtunity.

Give him free beer.

Re: Strategy ? for how to play this type of player
 

[ QUOTE ]
. Finally, if he bets and is raised, he will reraise the size of the bet. But whenever he is raised back in any of these situations, he will let the hand go. The exceptions are when he has a premium hand, or if it goes to the flop, if the flop improved him.

[/ QUOTE ]

Against him, play your premium hands forcefully-- raise/reraise frequently to isolate him and be prepared to place a pot-sized contiuation bet on the flop with TPTK. When you have him covered, be more inclined to jam him PostFlop with top 10 hands and check raise him all-in when you hit a monster.

Also, when you have position on him semi-bluff and bluff more frequently. Try stealing a few of his blinds.

More than just switching gears, opening up the throttle against a LAG sends a message to him that often results in high table volatility. So be prepared to put the breaks on quickly and tighten up when you feel like you are in battle pattern.

Re: Strategy ? for how to play this type of player
 

not only should you resteal when he attacks your blinds, but also resteal when he attacks another woman's blinds if you are sure he is doing it simply because women are generally intimidated at the poker table.

make sure you don't have any OBVIOUS tells before you start playing back at him with any two. most reliable tells have to do with hand motions.

never show him a hand, period.

Re: Strategy ? for how to play this type of player
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
. Finally, if he bets and is raised, he will reraise the size of the bet. But whenever he is raised back in any of these situations, he will let the hand go. The exceptions are when he has a premium hand, or if it goes to the flop, if the flop improved him.

[/ QUOTE ]

Against him, play your premium hands forcefully-- raise/reraise frequently to isolate him and be prepared to place a pot-sized contiuation bet on the flop with TPTK. When you have him covered, be more inclined to jam him PostFlop with top 10 hands and check raise him all-in when you hit a monster.

Also, when you have position on him semi-bluff and bluff more frequently. Try stealing a few of his blinds.

More than just switching gears, opening up the throttle against a LAG sends a message to him that often results in high table volatility. So be prepared to put the breaks on quickly and tighten up when you feel like you are in battle pattern.

[/ QUOTE ]

against this type of player, you will go bust before you pick up premium hands. you just can't wait for AK against these types.

also, it is often best with your monsters to let the aggressives bet your hands for you. you must also exercise good pot control skills so that you can call a reasonable bet on the river of a scary board. ramming and jamming is not the way to do that.